Life
If you and your significant other enjoy LARPing, old-school gaming, and endless discussions of whether Han shot first (for the record: yes), why not stay true to your geeky selves when naming your child? Geeky baby names are, indeed, a thing. In fact, names inspired by Game of Thrones are on the rise, with an army of little Aryas storming preschools all around the country. I find this trend delightful and not at all surprising. Why not reflect your interests and passions with your own kid’s name?
Although you might not want to name your child Seven of Nine or Slartibartfast, most sci-fi and fantasy worlds come with some truly unusual and gorgeous names that would be fitting for an earth child. Chances are, any kid with such a cool name origin story will grow up to be just as imaginative and creative as her parents. So here’s a quick roundup of geektastic names to get you started. These names touch on many of the major nerd arenas, including Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dr. Who, and the Whedonverse. And I’ve thrown in a bit of Supernatural too for good measure. Here’s to a future where playgrounds are populated by little Lukes and Danis.
1
Sulu
Kirk and Spock are obvious names for Star Trek superfans, but Sulu is a little more unexpected. Plus, how can you go wrong naming a kid after a classic George Takei character?
2
Padmé
Padmé Amidala appears in the Star Wars prequels as a princess, queen, and galactic senator. Not a bad resume, right? Natalie Portman played her as a smart, strong character — all qualities you'd want your little princess to embrace.
3
Odo
Odo Proudfoot is one of the hobbits in the Shire and a cousin to Bilbo. This is a good choice for Lord of the Rings fans because it’s a rare Tolkien names that does not require accented letters (such as Éomer or Mûmakil Mahûd), making it easier to use in the real world.
4
River
River Song is a time traveler on the Doctor Who series, as well as a mysterious and generally kickass character. If you already have a Tardis crib set, why not go all out and name your kid for your favorite series? (Bonus points if her middle name is Song.)
5
Dean
So here’s the deal: name your son Dean, put him in a child-sized 1967 Chevy Impala, take some pictures, and win the hearts of Supernatural fans all over the Internet. Just try not to leave your baby alone with any yellow-eyed demons.
6
Willow
Brilliant, geeky, and charming, Willow is the best friend on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She consistently uses her wits to help out the Scooby Gang, and proves to be a fiercely loyal friend to her group. Also, it’s just a gorgeous name that references the elegant willow tree.
7
Fox
Because The Smoking Man might look kind of odd on a birth certificate, X-Files fans might name their kid for Fox Mulder himself. I mean, how fun would the I Want to Believe poster be hanging in a nursery? Your fellow ‘90s nerds would get it.
8
Aeryn
If you’re a fan of sci-fi and puppets, you’re probably a giant Farscape geek. Why not name your daughter after the independent, take-charge Aeryn Sun? Maybe her first word will be frell.
9
Logan
In the X-Men series, the mutant Wolverine often goes by Logan. If you’re a comics fan, chances are he’s one of your favorite characters. But if you give this name to your own son, it may be a good idea to reinforce the crib with adamantium, just to be on the safe side.
Images: Pop Culture Geek/Flickr; Giphy (9)
